Coyotes lead at each intermission, fall to Flames in barnburner

Dylan Guenther scored twice, and Josh Doan, Matias Maccelli and Alex Kerfoot each added their own as the Coyotes' young core played well.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Apr 14, 2024, 8:27 PM Updated: 8:46 pm

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Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Kerfoot (15) celebrates his goal with teammate defenseman Sean Durzi (50) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alberta, Sunday, April 14, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

(Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Nazem Kadri scored twice in the third period, and also had an assist, as the Calgary Flames rallied to beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-5 on Sunday.

Andrei Kuzmenko, Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, and Yegor Sharangovich also scored for Calgary, which has won three of its last four games. Dustin Wolf finished with 30 saves to win his third straight start.

Dylan Guenther had two goals, and Alex Kerfoot, Matias Maccelli, and Josh Doan also scored for Arizona, which was swept in the three-game season series with the Flames. Clayton Keller had two assists.

Connor Ingram stopped 25 saves before being replace by Karel Vejmelka with 2:40 left in the third period after taking an errant stick from Coronato in the mask. Vejmelka did not face any shots.

It was likely the Coyotes’ final road game as an Arizona team. They are expected be sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith shortly after team’s season finale on Wednesday and moved to Salt Lake City.

With the Flames trailing 5-4 after two periods, Kadri tied it at 1:14 of the third as he chased down a puck near the corner and sent a sharp-angle shot in between Ingram and the post.

Kadri then gave Calgary its first lead of the night when he deflected MacKenzie Weegar’s point shot on the power play at 5:43 for his 29th goal of the season. It also gave Kadri a team-leadingt 74 points.

The Flames got their 10th win when trailing after 40 minutes, tied with Colorado and the New York Rangers for most in the league.

Guenther’s second of the game gave the Coyotes a 4-3 lead with 4:46 left in the second period as he sent a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Jan Jenik.

Doan’s made it a two-goal game 1:03 later before Sharangovich followed another 33 seconds later to bring the Flames within one at 5-4.

Doan, son of longtime Coyotes great Shane Doan, has made an immediate impact in his first month in the NHL. The 22-year-old second-round pick from 2021 has five goals and nine points in his first 10 games.

Arizona got off to a quick start on goals 1:19 apart from Kerfoot and Maccelli for a 2-0 lead 3:55 into the game. The Coyotes held a 7-1 advantage on shots at the time.

However, Kuzmenko and Coronato scored 2:20 apart to tie it at 9:42.

Guenther’s first of the night on the power play with 2:06 left in the first gave Arizona a 3-2 lead headed to the first intermission.

Calgary again tied it at 9:07 of the second when Zary buried a setup from Dryden Hunt.

Kuzmenko, who came over from Vancouver as part of the trade return for Elias Lindholm, is up to 14 goals and 26 points in 29 games with the Flames. At the time he was acquired, he had eight goals and 21 points in 43 games with the Canucks.

The Coyotes host Edmonton on Wednesday night in their season — and Arizona — finale.